The presidents of N-VA and Vooruit get along well, it’s no secret. More and more, the rumor of a partnership between the nationalists and the socialists swells, in view of the 2024 elections. And this Monday, Het Laatste Nieuws reports a fact which seems to confirm the good understanding and the rapprochement between Bart de Wever and Know Rousseau. Our colleagues explain that the day of the announcement of the resignation of Joachim Coens from the presidency of the CD&V, last Friday, Bart de Wever and Conner Rousseau dined together in Antwerp.
Their meeting in a “trendy restaurant” would have lasted two and a half hours, according to the Flemish daily, which received confirmation from the owner of the establishment where the two men ate. Did they discuss the results of the VRT poll that prompted Joachim Coens to step down as party chairman? Poll which gives the N-VA as the second Flemish party, with 22.4% of the voting intentions just behind the Vlaams Belang (22.9%), and Vooruit in third place, which continues to rise in the voting intentions. Nothing has leaked on the subject(s) of Conner Rousseau and Bart de Wever’s conversation, but we can point out that it is unusual for two presidents of important parties to meet alone over a meal, especially at such a special time.
The two politicians have common interests, as summed up by political scientist Carl Devos to La Libre on May 2: “Bart De Wever, who will undoubtedly be essential in the 2024 elections, will need Vooruit to conclude an agreement with the PS at the federal level and to concretize his great institutional design. And Conner Rousseau, it is his ambition , will need Bart de Wever to join the Flemish government. But not at any price”.
The plot of a “deal” between the two party presidents is slowly taking shape, and Egbert Lachaert even confirmed it a little on the VTM set on Sunday afternoon. He spoke of an “alliance between socialists and Flemish nationalists” in preparation.